There can be several factors behind hair loss such as environmental effects, aging, too much stress, excessive smoking, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalance, genetic factors, scalp infections, use of wrong or chemically enriched hair products, certain medicines and medical conditions like thyroid disorder, autoimmune diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), iron-deficiency anemia, and chronic illnesses. PCOS or Polycystic ovary syndrome is an imbalance in male and female sex hormones. An excess of androgens can cause ovarian cysts, higher risk of diabetes, weight gain, changes in menstrual period infertility and also hair thinning. Because male hormones are over-represented in polycystic ovary syndrome, women may also experience more hair on their body and face.
Iron supplements. Iron deficiency could be a cause of hair loss in some women . Your doctor may test your blood iron level, particularly if you're a vegetarian, have a history of anemia, or have heavy menstrual bleeding. If you do have iron deficiency, you will need to take a supplement and it may stop your hair loss. However, if your iron level is normal, taking extra iron will only cause side effects, such as stomach upset and constipation. Hi Lisa, hope you were able to speak with your doctor. I also talked at length with my mom and sister and feel a little better. My mom has hair but it is very thin but I forget she has had surgeries and takes a lot of meds for various conditions and she knows this has caused her hair loss. My sister has PCOS and that has made her hair thin out. I had a good appt with my dermatology nurse. She sat and talked with me and listened and was very interested and caring. I cried for about half the visit. She examined my head and does see the thinning but it isn’t consistent for androgentic alopecia and there aren’t any just out of nowhere hairloss in the family (she seemed more concerned with females than male relatives). What I haven’t stated is that I don’t handle stress well, the last time I underwent major stress was with the acne and she thinks it has taken on another form. To be as brief as I can besides taking two night classes, working full time, single mom no help from their dad ( a teen daughter and preteen son!), major stress at work, separated/divorced, financial stress, found out my dad’s prostate cancer came back, aging parents (they can’t take care of things like they used to and I’m living with them and it’s on me now), and just found my ex husband (not my kids’ dad) has lung/brain cancer and we aren’t on speaking terms and we work for the same company, oh yeah and I have new boyfriend. The last of this list happened all this month. I know I haven’t been eating well, and with the constipation if I’m severely stressed it runs right through me, then I know its bad. So she and I decided to go with biotin & a multivitamin, see my PCP she really wants me back on anti anxiety pills, I will still see him but I want to talk to him more at length because it can cause hairloss, we are continuing my 200 mg of aladactone, my orthotricyclen, eat better, I do have regrowth in my bangs. She is very concerned about my mental health (my BFF says to me “how is my ball of nerves today?” that’s how bad I am!). I know I just need to manage it better and talking to her was the first step because she too went through a stress shedding period (I do remember it, it was a year ago) and her hair is coming back in. She said it will come back for me. But for my own psychological health she said for me to get the rogaine foam for men and use it, just so I can see regrowth faster. She said they say not to use if for women because of the pregnancy issue and that isn’t a factor for me. I also had burning and itching but with the use of Nioxin it is better. She also said only wash my hair once a day (I usually do twice), and use low heat for my hair. She is going to see me in three weeks. Hi Everyone I thought I was the only person with major hairloss because everywhere I look all I see is beautiful heads of hair. I am 34 years old and my hair started thinning 7 months ago at first I thought it was just my ponytail getting thinner but my hair became horrible with split ends and dryness too (I have always had extremely healthy hair and never had split ends) – I thought I had burnt my hair using a straightener and that’s why it was thinning. However it has gotten worse and worse and I finally visited a doctor. I have had full blood tests for thyroid issues, hormone levels, cholesterol etc etc all were perfectly normal, I had a thyroid antibody test which was at the high end of normal but still within normal range, I had a thyroid function test which was within normal limits however he thought I did have some slight inflammation ie thyroiditis. My doctor said this isn’t causing the hair loss either. I have loads of energy, don’t get tired, eat well am normal weight range the only other thing I have noticed is my eyelashes seem stunted in growth (not thinned out though) and my eyebrows have thinned on the outer edges. My last two nails on both hands have a dark (looks like they have lifted slight) strip just below the white nail part. I am booked to have a stress test, pelvic ultrasound and to see an endocrinologist also to rule out all other possible reasons for hairloss. I am now getting to the point of embarrassment to go out it is soooo thin on top particularly on one side of temple and majorly down the centre where I used to part my hair. HELPPPPPP!!!!!
Problems donating? | Other ways to give | Frequently asked questions | We never sell your information. By submitting, you are agreeing to our donor privacy policy. The Wikimedia Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. If you make a recurring donation, you will be debited by the Wikimedia Foundation until you notify us to stop. We'll send you an email receipt for each payment, which will include a link to easy cancellation instructions. I just came across this website, I thought by chance but I think not! I have been having scalp pain, like my skull wanted to crack open. Then the tendersness of my hair folicals when the wind would blow. I started to loose lots of hair so went to my family doctor. All the test were done for Thyroid problems…all turned out what they call “normal”. Have you seen the wide range which is considered normal? How can this be when everyone is so different? I am loosing hair as I sit and write this message. The hair just gently falling onto my shoulder. I need to color my hair as it is time from the length of my silver roots but the last time I had my hair touched up, I thought I was going to die from the pain when the stylist tried to just shampoo the color off. Oh my God! Painful, painful. I used to be a stylist so you can imagine my shock when I was told it wasn’t my Tyroid! Problems donating? | Other ways to give | Frequently asked questions | We never sell your information. By submitting, you are agreeing to our donor privacy policy. The Wikimedia Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. If you make a recurring donation, you will be debited by the Wikimedia Foundation until you notify us to stop. We'll send you an email receipt for each payment, which will include a link to easy cancellation instructions.

Each hair develops from a follicle — a narrow pocket in the skin — and goes through three phases of growth. Anagen (A), the active growth phase, lasts two to seven years. Catagen (), the transition phase, lasts about two weeks. During this phase, the hair shaft moves upward toward the skin's surface, and the dermal papilla (the structure that nourishes cells that give rise to hair) begins to separate from the follicle. Telogen (C), the resting phase, lasts around three months and culminates in the shedding of the hair shaft.

This blog is great in all the support and understanding it provides, but I had a pretty hard time finding any suggestions for treatments that have actually helped anyone. I’m 22 and my hair has been rapidly shedding over the past 5 months. It’s also gotten thin and brittle. After 2 blood screenings, a dermatologist visit, and a visit to my general practitioner, nothing has improved. The doctor’s told me to wait it out, and that sometimes this “just happens”. They tested my hairs and saw that most of them were in the “resting” telogen phase, and decided I had Telogen Effluvium (TE) for undetermined causes.

I took spironolactone several years ago, and after 3 days got tinnitus (ringing in ears) permanently. Quit using it. Now, I take Fo-ti, Beta sitosterol, saw palmetto, and black cohosh. Also don’t use commercial hair dyes, as they made more hair fall out and if you have a yeast infection, take yeast defense as an itchy scalp from yeast (think too much sugar in diet) will make your hair fall out. Fructis has come out with a shampoo called Fall Fight that seems to help. My hair loss has stopped, although the volume has not come back. Look for solutions on your own, plenty of articles on the internet. Good luck!
A medical event or condition, such as a thyroid imbalance, childbirth, surgery, or a fever, typically triggers this type of hair loss. Telogen effluvium may also occur as a result of a vitamin or mineral deficiency—iron deficiency is a common cause of hair loss in women—or the use of certain medications, such as isotretinoin, prescribed for acne, or warfarin, a blood thinner. Starting or stopping oral contraceptives (birth control pills) may also cause this type of hair loss. I was searching the internet and came across this wonderful site. I really appreciate you posting this article. I have always had a small bald patch on one side of my head. My mom told me it had always been there so I didn’t worry about it. Recently it has been getting larger and the hair around it is getting lighter. On the other side my hair is thinning and the color and texture is changing. It also seems to be falling out. I have excessive hair loss on a regular basis. I am only 24 years old and I can’t stand that my hair is falling out. I went to the dermatologist and he gave my injections but they didn’t work. He said I have alopecia areata and that the other side was a normal receding hairline. (He barely even looked at it) He then told me after the injections weren’t working to try Rogaine. I think it might be helpful to see an endrocrinologist as I have also been having problems with anemia. Again, thank you so much for the information you have provided.
I am 30 and am trying Rogaine and spironolactone but only stopped the loss and I want to try Propecia. I know about the side effects for a male fetus, but I have chosen myself that I do not ever want to create a child out of my body. I will adopt or foster, but have intense lockeophobia. I even agreed to sign a legal document saying such, but my doctor would still not prescribe me propecia unless I had had a hysterectomy. He said it was for safety reasons, but as far as I understand it the only safety issue would be to such a fetus that will not exist. So I am confused about his reservations. Happily divorced in 2006. Coming up to my 52nd birthday, my hair is thin and fine, my hairdresser just shakes her head. In pictures all you see is scalp with a faint nimbus that is what’s left of my hair. Lost my job in December. When I interview, no one looks me in the eyes… they talk to my nearly naked scalp. So here I am, wanting to date and find work, and feel constantly judged because of an outward manifestation of something that’s happening inside of (what appears to be) a healthy body. It looks like I’m on chemo, or at the affect of some kind of some huge illness or medication… and shunned. How much of my self-image is subliminally dictated by my lack of hair… working on that with my therapist. LOL!!
My hair was healthy. No split ends and thick and tame – I could not break it. The healthy condition of my hair may be the reason that I didn’t loose all of it. My hair loss was due to a “HAIR DESTROYER” causing chemical damage, burning my scalp and my hair ( I think she used a product banned in Australia). I had bald spots on my crown the size of 50 cent pieces and the rest of my hair was singed. I lost my hair gloss, I was left with hair that was as thin a rice paper and breaking everywhere. I had severe itching on my scalp for two years. Not pleasant. I cursed her every day and still do. I bought myself a pair of hairdressing scissors and cut as much hair off as I could; and chipped into it everywhere. I do this every two weeks. Hence I will never go to a hair dresser again and have not colored my hair since December 2012 – I asked for Brown on Brown 10 vol – how could an idiot of a hair destroyer (dresser) get it so wrong.

Side effects and concerns: Minoxidil is safe, but it can have unpleasant side effects even apart from the alcohol-related skin irritation. Sometimes the new hair differs in color and texture from surrounding hair. Another risk is hypertrichosis — excessive hair growth in the wrong places, such as the cheeks or forehead. (This problem is more likely with the stronger 5% solution.)

I am on Arava and my hair has become extremely coarse, frizzy, and tight tight curls in the back. The sides of my hair are pure frizz and the top is straight, with frizz. It used to be smooth and so easy to manage. Now it takes so long and it looks awful. Anyone find the same thing and anything that helps? I have tried so very many hair products, so has my beautician. She says it is like I have 3 completely different textures on my head.

I have not heard anyone talk about the “HairClub” use to be a center called the “Hair Club for Men” but now seems to also be catering to women. I had a consultation last week and the consultant looked at my scalp with an instrument that showed my scalp on a screen, she performed a microscopic hair and scalp analysis. Of course I really needed to see my scalp magnified a trillion times and seeing both thick and thin hair and of course all the empty spots where hairs use to be. She was very informative and showed me the cycle of healthy hair and also the ones that are not and how they thin and eventually fall out and the hair follicle closing. Their pamphlet show women with different stages of hair lost, from patches to almost bald. She explained that there was hope and that with a yearlong regiment of going once a month and having my scalp treated with their products and some sort of scalp stimulation I can get my hair back. Of course this comes at a price, almost 3k for the year. She did say that the monthly regiment will include hair styling as well. woohooo. Anyways I want to know if anyone has been to one of these Hair club facilities and if they have had any success with the personalized program without having to resort to surgery. My prayers go out to all of you.
I am on Arava and my hair has become extremely coarse, frizzy, and tight tight curls in the back. The sides of my hair are pure frizz and the top is straight, with frizz. It used to be smooth and so easy to manage. Now it takes so long and it looks awful. Anyone find the same thing and anything that helps? I have tried so very many hair products, so has my beautician. She says it is like I have 3 completely different textures on my head. Hair loss often occurs in patients suffering or recovering from a medical condition or illness. Amongst a growing list of issues and concerns, hair loss can then lead to additional stress and anxiety as the amount of hair loss becomes more prevalent and noticeable to others. Although there are a vast number of health issues that result in hair loss, some of the most common diseases include:
In the field of aesthetic medicine and cosmetic surgery, Dr. Williams advances the philosophy and disciplines of prevention, longevity and anti-aging medicine. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, and a board certified primary care physician. He is and member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Physicians, and a Fellow and active member with numerous leadership committees with the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. Dr. Williams is the founder and principle physician and surgeon at the Irvine Institute of Medicine and Cosmetic Surgery-Orange County Hair Restoration. Finally, he is a contributor to U.S. News & World Report medical blog.
The topical sensitizers, diphencyprone or squaric acid dibutylester, have been used in those suffering from recalcitrant alopecia areata or those with more than 50% hair loss. The goal of treatment is to create an allergic contact dermatitis of the scalp. This alteration in the immune response occasionally is accompanied by hair regrowth. The efficacy of the topical sensitizers has been demonstrated in both young children and adults, but it probably works less than half the time. Recent success using oral janus kinase inhibitors, including tofacitinib, ruxolitinib, and baricitinib, have been shown to be efficacious in severe, extensive alopecia areata in adults, but long-term therapy has potential side effects. The durability of response to these medications is variable, and most patients experience recurrence of hair loss after discontinuation. Perhaps topical therapy with these types of drugs may be available in the near future. It is perfectly normal for people to shed 50 to 100 hairs per day. This generally doesn't cause noticeable thinning of scalp hair because new hair is growing in at the same time that hair is shedding. However, hair loss occurs when this hair growth cycle and shedding is disrupted or when the hair follicle becomes destroyed and replaced with scar tissue. Female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) is the most common form of hair loss in women. This occurs gradually and is caused by genetics (from either side of the family), age, and the action of a specific male hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This hormone is found in lesser amounts in women and it preys on the hair follicles, preventing them from receiving vital nutrients for proper hair follicle growth, leading to the hairs shrinking, and resulting in a shorter lifespan. Interestingly, DHT does not need to be elevated to generate hair loss. Estrogen, when lowered as commonly seen in menopause, creates a change in the ratio of male to female hormones, giving an edge to these male hormones. Compounded with the sensitivity of DHT to the hair follicles, heredity can affect the age at which a woman begins to lose her hair, as well as the rate of hair loss and the extent of baldness. In answer to which doctor should I see for my hair loss, my opinion is that you should probably see both. Most doctors don’t know enough about hair loss as it is, so seeing doctors in different specialties may actually help you get a better, more accurate diagnosis. I am sure there are various conditions of hair loss that might be better served by seeing one more than the other. Perhaps a dermatologist would be better suited in determining if the cause was an infectious skin condition such as ringworm or scaring alopecia, and an endocrinologist may be better at diagnosing hormone related hair loss. The truth is, any doctor whether it is an endocrinologist, dermatologist, or general practitioner with a strong interest and knowledge in hair loss can make a proper diagnosis and work with you on the the treatment they think will produce the best results. The operative words here are “interest and knowledge.” Each hair develops from a follicle — a narrow pocket in the skin — and goes through three phases of growth. Anagen (A), the active growth phase, lasts two to seven years. Catagen (), the transition phase, lasts about two weeks. During this phase, the hair shaft moves upward toward the skin's surface, and the dermal papilla (the structure that nourishes cells that give rise to hair) begins to separate from the follicle. Telogen (C), the resting phase, lasts around three months and culminates in the shedding of the hair shaft. My hair started thining out this past year. I notice my hair falling out when i got pregnant with my son. I got diabetes with my pregnancy. my scalp itches and it hurts. It feels like i had my hair tied up so tight and let it go. it hurts to move my hair. i saw a dermatologist and said it was due to the stress of child birth. it has been over a year and is still falling out. has anyone heard of this and what i can do. My Pcp check my hormone levels and said everything is fine. I need help.

Minoxidil (Rogaine). This is an over-the-counter (nonprescription) medication approved for men and women. It comes as a liquid or foam that you rub into your scalp daily. Wash your hands after application. At first it may cause you to shed hair as hair follicles. New hair may be shorter and thinner than previous hair. At least six months of treatment is required to prevent further hair loss and to start hair regrowth. You need to keep applying the medication to retain benefits.

Conclusion? EAT MORE SEA SALT. DO NOT use table salt…ever. Low-salt and table salt diets contribute to heart attacks, diabetes, polycystic ovaries and obesity. They also promote toxicity and makes your body have an acidic pH, which is not good. That means gatorade is NOT replenishing. It’s better to take a dash of sea salt with water before and/or after exercising.

Certain medical issues can also impair hair growth. An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can cause hair loss. So can iron deficiency. When women go through menopause and their estrogen levels fall, their hair often begins to thin. Many women also lose some hair a few months after giving birth because of the hormonal changes the body experiences.

I need help. I have been taking Elavil for sleeping for years just reccently I have noticed alot of hair loss and I am so worried. I also take synthroid. and just got off of cytomel because that also causes hair loss.I found out by going on line that taking Elavil and synthroid together it can cause hair loss and heart rhythm disorders. I have been having lots of heart plapations too. Does anyone know if you stop taking Elavil will the hair come back or if you chance snythroid to another drug? let me know we need to stick together on this. Finasteride inhibits 5α-reductase type 2, resulting in a significant decrease in dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels.6 Studies have shown that, compared with placebo, 1 mg per day of finasteride slows hair loss and increases hair growth in men.6,7,9 Dosages as low as 0.2 mg per day result in decreased scalp and serum DHT levels in men, although the DHT levels may not correlate clinically with changes in hair loss.10

Once male-pattern baldness starts, it’s not going to stop until every last hair on your head has shrunk or shed, though the rate at which this happens differs from person to person and depends on genetics. And since the grind of hair loss is unending, it’s important to start treatment as soon as your hairline starts bothering you. If you’re looking for a more quantitative metric, Dr. Paul McAndrews, clinical professor of dermatology at the USC School of Medicine and member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, assures me that “you have to lose half your hair before the human eye can tell.” (Of course, if you don’t care about losing your hair and are fine with going full Prince William and shaving your head, go for it. We’ve got some recommendations for razors and hair trimmers to help you out on that front.)

I’ve had a small bald patch in my part since I was a teenager..I used to think it was a scar from a bad scrap I got once. I recently cut my hair rather short and donated it and have since noticed alot more hairs falling out. Part of me thinks I notice simply because now they land on my shirt and before they always just fell off. I’m just worried that it could be baldness, because God love him my Dad has been going bald since he was like 19. I’m 20, have had a kid and hypo-thyroidism runs in my mother’s family. I don’t want to go bald, I’m terrified of it actually and was just wondering who the best person to go to, to figure out if this is just a scar or if I’m really going bald. Anyone have any suggestions?

Just happened to find this website and have spent 3 hrs getting to know the trials us women go through with or without our hair. I have cried with you, laughed with you and felt your pain. I have frontal fibrosing alopecia and have gone to Stanford Medical Center and saw a dermatologist. I have been using clobetasol 0.05% topical solution on my hair line and sides every night and morning as well as take finasteride 2.5mg daily. Not sure if it is doing anything and what falls out will never grow back with scaring alopecia. If it gets to the point where I can’t hide it anymore I will get a real hair wig. The main thing is how beautiful each and every one of you are! The light you shine towards others makes you beautiful and makes us feel beautiful! Being thankful for what we do have always lifts the spirit and our outward appearance.

The loss of hair can be sudden, developing in just a few days or over a period of a few weeks. There may be itching or burning in the area before hair loss. The hair follicles are not destroyed and so hair can re-grow if the inflammation of the follicles subsides. People who experience just a few patches of hair loss often have a spontaneous, full recovery without any form of treatment.

Family history will often tell the doctor what type of alopecia a person has. Occasionally, a punch biopsy may be necessary to determine the type of hair loss. Looking at plucked hairs under a microscope can help to tell the difference between alopecia areata and androgenic alopecia. Other tests might be done to check for autoimmune diseases like lupus that can accompany alopecia.

First Dr.I saw was my regular dermatologist. He basically said I should “try not to stress so much” and it would grow back. My neurologist wasnt happy with that answer either so he sent me to another derm., she checked my iron and put me on Chromagen?. 6 months later, no new growth Then she said male pattern baldness, use men’s rogaine and that was it.

Susan – I am horrified to read that two of your doctors actually made fun of you… oh my gosh that is awful! I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I am also surprised that your doctors wouldn’t do any bloodwork other than thyroid. What City/ State do you live in? Maybe someone can recommend a doctor in your area that would be more helpful. While many times bloodwork results end up coming back normal there is that possibility that your results would point to something that may be the cause of your hair loss, especially since you say you have no genetic hereditary hair loss in your family. I know you stated your hair is still falling out, but do you see any results from the propecia and mens rogaine? When did your hair loss start?
I wanted to say I have been to both a GYN here and a hair loss dermatogist here in Lake Mary FL, with no results, so I am still looking for another derm that knows something about hair dye allergys. I have had my hormones tested, the dr said that my estro was high, but she expected that since their is no period. I am only 45 , I used to have very thick coarse hair. Had a bad eposide of itching, then hair lost last year. I told the derm that I suspected the hair color. They did not seem intested, said that hair loss comes with age. I have now had another spell, of bad rashing. It is the hair dye. From my reseach it can have PPD, in it almost all do. Check the web for PPD allergy. As you color you can become more and more subseptable to it. My hair stylist always commented on the hair loss. I think that hormones changing can effect it also. You can become allergic to this chemical at any time. It is hard to connect the dots. Dr.’s don’t seem interested. Natualist, I tried accupunture and non homotherphy, no noticable difference.. I have tried Jason hair shampoo, not much luck with that either. BUT look for PPD/free hair colors…and test before using, that will save some hair from falling. So far I have found a Wella, Yo Colors, Reflex, Nauture Pat It usually happens a week later, not right after coloring FYI…What does work is Botin…..
I took spironolactone several years ago, and after 3 days got tinnitus (ringing in ears) permanently. Quit using it. Now, I take Fo-ti, Beta sitosterol, saw palmetto, and black cohosh. Also don’t use commercial hair dyes, as they made more hair fall out and if you have a yeast infection, take yeast defense as an itchy scalp from yeast (think too much sugar in diet) will make your hair fall out. Fructis has come out with a shampoo called Fall Fight that seems to help. My hair loss has stopped, although the volume has not come back. Look for solutions on your own, plenty of articles on the internet. Good luck!